1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to threading utensils, grommets, eyelets and other structures, and methods of entraining a filament within the same. More particularly, the invention relates to threading utensils, grommets, eyelets, and other structures that utilize shape memory actuation to selectively and reversibly adjust in geometric configuration, so as to facilitate entraining the filament, and securing the filament once entrained.
2. Background Art
Threading utensils, such as needles and the like, have long been developed to facilitate sewing, knitting, and other activities wherein a filament is caused to pass through an aperture(s) or layer(s) of material. As well known in their respective arts, these utensils must themselves be initially entrained with the filament (e.g., thread, lace, yarn, string, cable, wire, etc.), and as such typically define an eye through which the filament is passed. Whereas the utensil must often pass through the material or aperture in repetative manual or machine-driven strokes, conventional utensils typically present an elongated body having a minimal diameter and a tapered end section that converges to a distal point. As a result, the typical eye is likewise of minimal width, which results in the difficult task of passing a thin flexible filament therethrough. Once entrained within the eye, the filament is secured to prevent unwanted withdrawal by doubling it over, twisting, tying a knot therein, or an otherwise method.
Similarly, eyelets (e.g., grommets, and other aperture forming structures) commonly compose articles of manufacture, and help define neatly tailored apertures of fixed geometric shape and dimension. For example, it is appreciated that many articles of clothing (e.g., corsets, etc.) and shoes feature a plurality of eyelets adapted to receive a lace. Like the eyes of the afore-mentioned utensils, however, threading eyelets have often proved difficult due to their typically small size, and once threaded, the filament or lace must be secured to prevent unwanted withdrawal.